A source close to his campaign management said Taya, who has been in power since 1984, was ahead in all the northwest African country's 13 regions.

"Fraud has reached such dimensions that this election cannot be validated"

Shaikh Wald Horma,Hidala's deputy campaign manager

From the start of voting on Friday, the main opposition candidates had claimed fraud and intimidation of voters.

At the end of the polls, their campaign managers said there was "no doubt" that Taya would win, with Hidala's deputy campaign manager Shaikh Wald Horma declaring: "Fraud has reached such dimensions that this election cannot be validated."